"Number 561 bids 1.8 million. Are there any other bids?"

Seeing that no one else was bidding, Murong Xiangming spoke up, trying to stir the atmosphere once more.

After all, the higher the auction price, the larger the commission for their Treasure Elephant Pavilion.

Treasures brought to auction were generally meant to fetch a high price.

However, no one else in the hall was competing with Jiang Han.

Murong Xiangming once again picked up the small Copper Hammer on the stage.

She struck the large Copper Bell beside her.

"DONG!"

The bell rang out.

"One point eight million, going once."

With no other bids, according to the auction house rules, the treasure would go to the highest bidder if no one else bid after three strikes of the bell.

"DONG!"

The bell rang a second time.

Its echo reverberated through the auction hall.

"One point eight million, going twice."

Seeing there were still no new bids, Murong Xiangming spoke again: "After the third strike of the bell, if no one offers a higher price, this treasure will belong to number 561."

As expected, no one else bid.

"DONG!"

The bell rang a third time.

Murong Xiangming placed the Copper Hammer on the stage and announced, "Congratulations to number 561 for winning the first treasure of this auction, the Nether Spirit Flower."

Many in the crowd sighed.

Jiang Han was thrilled. Although he had spent 1.8 million, he felt it was well worth it.

He had successfully won the Nether Spirit Flower.

"Congratulations, Father."

Jiang Chen congratulated his father.

Jiang Han was clearly delighted.

Now, all he had to do was show his number paddle before leaving and pay 1.8 million essence crystals to claim the Nether Spirit Flower.

Meanwhile, Bai Xiong, who was nearby, looked displeased. The treasure he had his eye on had been bought by Jiang Han.

On stage, Murong Xiangming resumed her hosting duties.

The following auctions were just as passionate.

They were all rare treasures.

But while the treasures were fine, not a single one caught Jiang Chen’s eye.

He was slightly disappointed with the auction so far, as he hadn’t found any treasures he liked or could use.

The auction had now reached its midpoint.

It had to be said that Murong Xiangming’s hosting was quite excellent; the atmosphere in the hall remained lively.

"Next, let’s look at another treasure."

"This will be the eleventh item up for auction."

"Everyone, please look."

Once again, Murong Xiangming skillfully unveiled the black cloth,

revealing the mysterious treasure beneath it.

Everyone looked at the treasure with curiosity.

Inside a crystal glass case was a pure white feather, seemingly from some kind of bird.

Its whiteness was as immaculate as the dress worn by the auctioneer, Murong Xiangming.

"It’s just a feather? Really? How could the Treasure Elephant Pavilion present something so beneath them?"

Someone expressed their dissatisfaction upon seeing the feather.

Clearly, from the audience’s perspective, the feather had no remarkable features whatsoever.

Thus, many people were very disappointed.

"Exactly. The other treasures were fine, but this one is far below standard."

"What is the Treasure Elephant Pavilion thinking? Did they make a mistake?"

"Since when can a single feather be put up for auction?"

People began to criticize the Treasure Elephant Pavilion.

Their disappointment was a clear rebuke of the Treasure Elephant Pavilion.

Murong Xiangming smiled apologetically.

She then said tactfully, "Everyone, please don’t be hasty. Yes, this is indeed a feather. The person who brought this treasure to us was also unsure of its origin."

"Therefore, this might be the most puzzling item of the entire auction."

"We at the Treasure Elephant Pavilion understand your feelings, but this treasure has been personally authenticated by our very own Master Tian Mu."

"This item is absolutely extraordinary, though its origins are unknown."

"Not only is it impervious to any flame, but external force can hardly damage it in the slightest."

"So, this treasure is a matter of fate. Perhaps someone here with a destined connection will be able to unlock its secrets."

The Treasure Elephant Pavilion had put this feather up for auction as a last resort.

They had identified it as a treasure but couldn’t determine its origin, let alone how to use it.

They had tried refining it with fire, soaking it in water, and even using brute force, but nothing could affect the feather.

Even their most formidable expert, Master Tian Mu—who was not only widely knowledgeable but also a Martial King Expert—couldn’t make sense of it.

So, in the end, they decided to just put it up for auction.

Murong Xiangming’s explanation instantly sent a ripple of whispers through the crowd.

"If that’s the case, then this really is an unusual treasure."

"But even an expert of the Martial King Level like Treasure Elephant Pavilion’s Master Tian Mu said it can’t be broken by external force and is immune to fire. If we buy it, it’ll just be a waste of effort."

"Forget it, I’m not interested."

"Let’s see which fool buys it and takes it home to worship like an ancestor."

Although it sounded very mysterious, many people consciously decided to pass on this treasure.

"The auction begins! Starting bid is 100,000."

Murong Xiangming simply struck the Copper Bell and started the auction.

’Just sell it and be done with it.’ The Treasure Elephant Pavilion was stumped by this item; she just wondered if anyone would be willing to be the sucker.

At that moment, Jiang Chen slowly sat up straight.

He had become deeply interested in the white feather.

A strange glint flashed in his eyes, as if he had discovered something.

But Jiang Chen remained impassive.

Following Murong Xiangming’s announcement, the hall fell into an awkward situation. No one was bidding.

The atmosphere was very strange.

After all, for a situation with zero bidders to occur at a Treasure Elephant Pavilion auction was certainly unusual.

It also proved just how unpopular this treasure truly was.

"Everyone, perhaps this treasure is waiting for its destined owner, and that destined owner might just be someone in this very hall."

To avoid further embarrassment, Murong Xiangming had no choice but to speak up and once again encourage the crowd to place a bid.

However, the crowd remained completely unresponsive.

It was like a pool of stagnant, icy water; the atmosphere had dropped to a freezing point.

If no one actually bid, the Treasure Elephant Pavilion had shills planted in advance who would step in and buy it themselves, so there would be no loss.

These shills were meant to step in during a lull or when certain treasures failed to meet the Treasure Elephant Pavilion’s price expectations.

But Murong Xiangming did not want her own auction to be saved by one of their shills. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Murong Xiangming was on the verge of despair. She never imagined this strange feather would cause the bidding to stall completely.

This was definitely a stain on the auction.

Just then, Jiang Chen quietly took the number paddle his father had set down and raised it.

In that instant, Murong Xiangming’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Someone was actually bidding.

She was overjoyed.

When she looked closely, Murong Xiangming was suddenly stunned.

’Jiang Chen.’

She recognized that it was Jiang Chen who had raised the paddle.

’Is he bidding just to save me from the awkward silence?’ she wondered.

But she didn’t dwell on it and announced Jiang Chen’s bid.

"Number 561 bids 120,000."

After announcing the bid, Murong Xiangming let out a huge sigh of relief. Someone had finally bid. Whatever Jiang Chen’s motive was, for her, it was a great encouragement.

A collective huff went through the audience.

After Jiang Chen placed his bid, many people shot him strange looks.

Looks of pity, sighs, and even ridicule.

"What a fool."

"No one else was bidding, which proves this thing isn’t a treasure at all. A sucker has finally shown up."